No, it’s not a joke. This upcoming April 1, the VTSU Johnson campus will host its first ever “Harambee,” an event dedicated to holding open space for students to communicate their issues and needs to the VTSU-Johnson community.
Organized by VTSU’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Oyibo Afoaku, the name “Harambee” is the official motto of Kenya and is a Swahili word that means “all pull together.” Harambee is also the Kenyan tradition of hosting events, focusing on pulling people together and organizing efforts to work in solidarity in order to better their communities. The intention is for Harambee to bring the Johnson community together, and start the process of having difficult conversations and solving issues together.
It is planned for Harambee to be held on each of the VTSU campuses once a month, keeping the conversations local and ongoing to pinpoint issues and to strengthen and repair connections. Castleton and Lyndon each had their own Harambee events for the first time earlier this semester.
The Johnson event is organized and funded by the Coalition of Minority Students, Student Led Activity Planning (SLAP), Student Athletics, and Johnson’s Student Government Association.
The event will be held on April 1 from 12-1 p.m. in the Badger Burrow, in Dewey, and will be catered by Harmony’s Kitchen and Southern Smoke BBQ. Every member of the VTSU Johnson campus community is invited and encouraged to attend. This is the space for all to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Johnson campus community, and everyone should enter with the intention of discussing, listening, and making an active effort to help make the campus a better place for all.
For those interested in getting involved with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work and activities on the Johnson campus, you can reach out The Coalition of Minority Students in the Mamadou N’Daiye Resource Center (Dewey 149, across from Public Safety) or by contacting Dayne Bell or Mercedes Durden. Community members with other comments, complaints, and concerns can reach out to the Johnson Student Government Association by contacting a representative, leaving a message in the SGA clubhouse, or attending the public SGA meetings every Thursday at 12:20 p.m.